Sick Room
by MrsHolmes-Winchester
Summary: International Rescue discover early on that they need a doctor. Can they trust an outsider to be discreet? And would they fit in? Scott Tracy soon finds someone perfect for International Rescue. But is it just professional, or is he letting his heart do the talking?
1. Calling International Rescue

"There's an RTC a few miles out, they need a doctor."

Callie Edwards looked up from the patient file she had been reading and looked towards the registrar who had just been on the trauma phone, the red phone, as they called it. Any major incident that happened, they were telephoned and warned ahead, so that they could prepare as they needed.

"I don't mind going," Callie said, depositing the patient file on the desk. "I've just discharged my last patient and I'm at a loose end."

"Go on then, grab your uniform and head out, there's an ambulance out front waiting for you. Good luck."

Rushing towards the cupboard where they kept the coveralls for such occasions, Callie grabbed a pair and shoved them on over her shirt and trousers, exchanging her heels for a pair of steel toe capped boots. Picking up a helmet that had the word doctor written across it, she tucked it under her arm and deposited her shoes in the staff room on the way out. They would be safe there.

"Morning Callie. Looks like a busy one," Ian, a senior paramedic commented as Callie swung herself into the passenger seat of the ambulance.

"Hey, I'm just happy to be out of the department for once," Callie laughed. "Things like this are rare and I'm more than happy to be getting involved."

"As you wish Doc, as you wish." Ian replied, waiting until Callie had buckled her seatbelt before switching on the siren.

"What have you heard about it?" She asked, looking out the window in amazement. The cars in front of the ambulance seemed to part like the Red Sea and it truly was a sight. Usually she was the one who was moving out of the way, not the one in the ambulance. She decided she quite enjoyed it.

"Multi vehicle RTC, two ambo's already on the scene as well as police and fire crew. We've managed to extricate the majority of the casualties and they've already been taken to the nearest trauma centre. We have one vehicle that has slid down the cliff face. They're hanging on a ledge and fire crew are trying to figure out how to get the casualties out. As far as we can tell there are two adults in the car, a man and a woman. They're both in a pretty bad way but the woman is conscious at least. That's the last I heard. We'll be there in a few minutes."

Callie nodded, reaching for a pair of blue surgical gloves, waiting until they arrived to snap them on. It sounded a bad situation all right. She desperately hoped there was something she could do. She did not like to lose patients if it was avoidable. Seeing the flashing lights, adrenaline pumped its way into her body, making her heart race. She could do this. Things would be okay.

Jumping from the ambulance, Callie picked up her kit bag and slung it onto her shoulder, running to where a group of paramedics and fire crew were huddled, making a quick introduction and surveying the scene that lay before her. Devastation was the closest word she could summon to describe what had happened here. From what she gathered from the snippets of information she could glean, a lorry had lost control and overturned, crushing one car before jack knifing and throwing another over the cliff. They had managed to rescue those that were in the first car and the driver of the lorry, but the vehicle that had been thrown from the cliff was teetering dangerously from the narrow ledge that they had miraculously landed on.

"We can't get down to them to pull them back up, we just don't have the equipment," one fireman commented, his voice sombre and morose. "HEMS are busy with a major incident a few hundred miles north and there's no one we can call that is available to help."

"Is there anyone we know that does?" Callie asked desperately, looking down the cliff face. It was a tricky situation all right, one that she wasn't sure they could solve.

The group shook their heads. There was nothing they could do.

"Hang on, I was listening to the radio on the way to work this morning. There's a rescue organisation that help out in things like this. They helped out in that disaster with the Fireflash, remember?"

One of the firemen nodded, a young lad of barely twenty. "I remember. International Rescue, right?"

Callie nodded. "Apparently you can call them on any radio frequency. Maybe they could help?"

There was a general nod of assent and fumbling for the radios.

"You call them, I'm going down to help those that are trapped."

"Callie that's not a good idea. That thing could slide over at any moment." Ian said, his face lined with concern.

"I don't care Ian, they need a doctor." Callie lifted her kit bag and asked for a guide rope that would lower her down the cliff face. She was placed in a harness and gently lowered down until she reached the ledge, undoing the clips and letting the firemen pull the rope back up.

"Call International Rescue!" She shouted up to them.

One of the men gave her a thumbs up and Callie nodded to herself, peering into the car. Ian was right, it was a mess. Leaning into the car, Callie encountered a male and female, both early thirties. The woman was awake and stared at her, terror in her eyes and tear tracks down her face.

"My name is Callie, I'm a doctor. I'm here to help you. Were you knocked unconscious at all?"

The woman nodded slowly. "I woke up a few minutes ago but Andrew hasn't woken up yet," she whispered, her voice hoarse with emotion and the dust that had risen when the car had landed. The tears started again, slowly sliding down her cheeks.

"Alright, it'll be alright. Help is on the way." Or she hoped, at least. "What's your name?" Callie asked, trying to keep the woman talking.

"I'm Angela. We were on our way to pick up our son from school. What will happen to him?" Her voice rose with emotion and Callie carefully reached through the car to take her hand.

"When we get you out of here we'll contact his school, okay? Just try to keep still, you might have hurt your neck or back. I'm going to assess Andrew quickly, okay? It'll only take me a minute and it will really help."

"Okay." Angela agreed. The crying had stopped for now, but Angela was very pale and clearly traumatised. With any luck they would both be airlifted out soon. Reaching across to Andrew, Callie called out to him, trying to see if he would wake. No luck.

"Alright Angela, I'm going to do something called a trapezium squeeze, to see if Andrew will wake up. It won't hurt, it will just give him a surprise." Okay, so that was a minor lie. It would hurt him, but it was necessary. Callie didn't want to traumatise Angela any further. Placing her hands either side of his shoulders, Callie squeezed his trapezius muscles, hoping for a response. There was none.

There was no other way, Callie would have to climb into the car. It was the only way that she could get to them both and assess their injuries.

"I'm coming in now, okay? Just hold very still and I can help you both. I just need to radio up to the fire crew and let them know what is happening."

Angela nodded and Callie pulled her radio from the holder just below her right shoulder.

"M2605 to mobile base, can you hear me?"

"Mobile base to M2605, coming in loud and clear Callie. What's going on down there?"

"Female, name of Angela. Approximately early thirties, A on AVPU and GCS fifteen. Was knocked out for a considerable length of time but is coherent and orientated to time, place and event. I haven't assessed her injuries yet. Male, mid to late thirties, U on AVPU, GCS eight. I haven't been able to assess him yet either. I can't do it out here. I'm going to have to go in."

"Are you sure? The vehicle isn't stable and help won't arrive for a little while yet."

"You got through then?" Callie ignored the question. In truth, she wasn't sure. She was taking a risk even being down there, let alone actually climbing into the unstable vehicle.

"They'll be here in about half an hour."

"Well I'd best get going then. Out."

Cutting the radio, Callie slipped off her kit bag and passed it to Angela awkwardly, before clambering in through the back window, which had been smashed in the fall. She went slowly, breathing deeply, trying to calm her beating heart. This was craziness. What was she doing? _Saving lives, that's what you signed up for, isn't it? Do no harm? Remember that oath?_ Her subconscious told her. Still, this was taking that oath a little _too_ seriously. Callie ignored the broken glass that was biting into her legs as she crawled in, trying to ignore the ominous creaking noises coming from the vehicle. Callie hummed an old tune to herself, trying to block it all out. Making it to the back seats, she let out a sigh of relief. She was safe. For now, at least.

"Alright Angela, I'm here now. I'm right behind your seat. Help is coming and it will be here soon, okay? We just need to get you patched up as much as we can before that happens. We don't want them to think I've been sat here relaxing, do we?"

Angela let out a weak chuckle and Callie took that as a good sign. She opened her kit bag and looked over all the equipment she had. It wasn't much but it was a start.

"Right, I need you to tell me where it hurts, okay?"

"My leg, it's my leg."

"Okay Angela, it's okay. We'll get that sorted, okay?"

Callie looked over her briefly, performing a primary survey. Her breathing was fine, apart from a little shallow, but that was simply to do with panic, her pulse fast but regular, which Callie put down to pain and fear.

"Angela," Callie deliberately used her name frequently. It was something to do with it grounding people, hearing their name relaxed most people. Callie couldn't remember the exact logistics of it, but it seemed to work. "Angela, I need you to try and calm down, alright? Deep breaths for me."

Angela looked frightened and Callie put a comforting hand on her shoulder.

"Trust me."

Angela looked unconvinced but her breathing slowed and it allowed Callie to assess her properly. Reaching for her stethoscope and pen torch, she shone the light in her eyes quickly, muttering to herself as she did so.

"Pupils equal and reactive at two millimetres. Bilateral chest expansion, no wheezing, crackling or stridor. Does your chest hurt anywhere Angela?"

"No," she muttered, focusing on her breathing.

"Okay, I'm just going to have a little feel of your chest, okay? Stay nice and still for me."

"No paradoxical movement, crepitus or flail chest."

"Is that good?"

Callie nodded. "It's very good. It means that there's no damage to your chest and ribs. That's a good thing. Does your leg still hurt?"

Angela went to nod and Callie put a hand under her chin to stop her. "Remember, you need to stay still. I'm going to give you something for the pain in now, okay? Do you have any allergies?"

Angela replied in the negative and Callie wiped the back of Angela's hand with an alcohol wipe, preparing a cannula so that she could give her morphine to ease the pain and ondansetron to stop the nausea . Her leg was clearly fractured, but there was nothing much Callie could do in the limited space.

"That should start working soon. Just hold tight. I'm going to look at Andrew now, okay?"

He had a rather nasty head injury and was bleeding from his ears. That was not a good sign. It was a sign of cerebral haemorrhage, bleeding in the brain. Before she could do anything else, the radio crackled into life.

"This is International Rescue here. Do you read me?"

"I read you, strength niner, over."

"Good. I'm about to arrive and my colleague will be arriving with some machinery to help you get out of there very soon. How are you holding up down there?"

The voice was male, with a soothing, almost melodic tone. Callie found herself relaxing slightly, knowing that they were about to be rescued. They needed help quickly.

"Not too badly. We seem stable enough for now but we have injuries. They're pretty nasty."

"We'll get you out of there in no time."

Callie let out a sigh of relief. Andrew needed to be airlifted to a hospital and Angela would need to have her leg splinted. She wasn't able to see the leg but was fairly sure it was a break. If it was serious, she needed attention quickly, before any lasting damage was caused.

"I'll be operating on this frequency so try to keep it clear if you can."

"I just need to radio my colleagues to let them know what to expect."

"That's okay, you do that and by the time you're finished we'll be there. Thunderbird One out."

Callie turned to Angela and pasted on a smile. "We'll be out of here soon. I'm just going to do a few things to help Andrew out. I'm going to give him some oxygen but I want to make sure that he can breathe properly first, so I'm going to put something in his mouth. It will stop him choking on his tongue."

Callie opened up her kit bag, pulling out an orange airway adjunct. She hadn't used one of these in years, preferring to intubate her patients, but that wasn't something she could do in her current position and Andrew was maintaining his own airway for the time being. No, an oropharyngeal airway would be fine. She explained to Angela what she was doing as she was doing it, ensuring that Angela would remain calm throughout the process. Once Callie inserted the adjunct, she reached for her oxygen bag and put a non-rebreather mask carefully over Andrew's face. If he deteriorated further, she would have to breathe for him, but for now, this would do.

She radioed up to the fire crew to prepare for their rescue, warning them of Andrew's condition, whilst not trying to frighten Angela. It was a long few minutes before help arrived and it dragged. There was nothing more that Callie could do, as both casualties were as stable as she could make them with her supplies being as limited as they were.

Callie tried to make conversation with Angela to pass the time and keep her calm and still, but Angela was getting agitated. She wanted out and the pain, though minimised, was still there. Callie continued to reassure her that they would be freed soon and that Andrew would be fine (there was no guarantee but she knew that bad news was not a good idea), as would their son.

"This is International Rescue again, do you read me?"

"Loud and clear International Rescue. What's going on?"

"I've just arrived, I'm with the fire crew. My brother Virgil is bringing some electromagnets to lift the car clear of the ledge. He's due to arrive any minute now. Have there been any changes since the last time we spoke?"

Callie shook her head before she realised he couldn't see her. "No changes, but we do need to get out of here quickly. There are serious injuries that require urgent treatment."

"Roger that. We'll get you out of there soon. Just hold tight. I'll radio again when he arrives."

The call was cut and Callie took Angela's hand to calm her down.


	2. Bravery or Stupidity?

Scott Tracy stood amongst the fire crew and Ian, watching the sky for Virgil's arrival. He was approximately ten minutes away but Scott wasn't sure that the vehicle on the cliff ledge _had_ ten minutes. From the description the doctor gave, they were in serious trouble. The fire crew had told him about Callie, how she had climbed down there to help the couple that were trapped despite being told not to. Her bravery had impressed Scott, even it was a tad on the bold side.

"Thunderbird One calling Thunderbird Two, do you copy?"

"Receiving you loud and clear Scott. What's going on?"

"Well, I know we can get them clear, but they need to be lifted as soon as we can. What's your ETA?"

"Seven minutes. What do I need?"

Scott looked out over the wreckage littering the road and shook his head. It had been a bad smash alright.

"We need the electromagnetic plates to pull them clear, the fire crew can do the rest."

"Roger that Scott. Thunderbird Two out."

Scott turned to Ian, brows furrowed. "If Thunderbird Two can get here in time we can get them out with no problem but it's whether or not Thunderbird Two gets here before the ledge gives way that's the problem."

Ian shook his head. "She was an idiot for going down there in the first place, but once she has an idea in her head there's no stopping her."

Scott let a smile grace his features for a second before it vanished. The doctor sounded like someone International Rescue could do with. If, of course, they managed to rescue them all before the ledge gave way.

"Thunderbird Two calling Thunderbird One, do you read me?"

"I read you Virgil."

"I'm almost there, ETA two minutes. I need you to prep the passengers in the car. They can't move while I'm lifting them."

"Roger that Virgil. I'll radio down to them now."

"Thunderbird Two out."

Scott Tract turned to the fire crew. "It's now or never. When Virgil lifts them he will drop them carefully down here. The rest is up to you guys."

#####

Callie could hear the roar of a jet engine but was unable to see it. She didn't dare to move a muscle. The vehicle was starting to slip; she could faintly hear the rocks rumbling under them.

"We'll be out of here soon Angela, I can hear the rescue vehicle. Just keep still, things will be okay."

Angela was silently crying again but there wasn't much Callie could do. She had given her as much pain relief as she could, but there was nothing more she could do. Not while they were still trapped, anyway. They needed to get out of there, and quickly.

"This is Thunderbird One, do you read me?"

Callie reached carefully for her radio, pressing the button that enabled her to talk.

"I read you. What's happening?"

"My brother Virgil is about to lift the vehicle up the cliff face to where the fire crew are waiting. There will be some movement as you are lifted but you must stay exactly still. Once you are lifted to safety the magnets will release you and the fire crew will then take over."

"I understand."

"Good luck Doctor."

Callie switched off her radio and turned to Angela.

"Looks like we're getting out of here Angela. Like International Rescue said, we've to keep very still. Please try not to move, especially your head, okay? I'll be supporting Andrew's because he can't."

Angela murmured an assent, listening to the machines moving overhead.

"Going up," Callie muttered, holding Andrew's head still, lest his injuries become worse. It was a pretty desperate situation all right. But they were moving, and that was the main thing. She could feel the ground giving way beneath them, as they were lifted from the ledge. As soon as they were clear, the ledge crumbled and fell, and Callie realised just how lucky they had been. A moment later and it would have been them falling down the side of the cliff, not just the ledge.

"Keep steady Angela, you're doing great," Callie reassured her, her own heart beating so fast and hard she was half convinced that she was having a heart attack.

In a few moments, they were placed gently down onto the road, where they were safe and where the fire crew could cut them out.

"I need a collar and board for one of them, just a collar for the other. I'm concerned about the risk of increased ICP due to a head injury," called Callie, not letting go of Andrew's head.

One of the fire crew passed two neck braces through, unable to put them onto the boards until they had cut away the windshield of the car to gain access. Callie fitted them onto both passengers as well as the safety goggles they had been passed.

"Callie, it's time to get out of there."

Nodding to herself, Callie reassured Angela that she would only be outside and would be back as soon as the car had been cut open to slide them onto back boards.

Climbing out was a lot harder than climbing in and it took Callie a few minutes to get out. She squinted against the midday sun and removed her surgical gloves. It was then that she noticed the blue uniform of International Rescue and smiled to herself. Was that the man who had been talking to her over the radio?

#####

Scott looked over at the doctor, his face inscrutable. She was determined, he had to give her that. He watched her as she climbed out of the vehicle they had just lifted, snapping off her gloves and brushing off the glass from her overalls. He walked over to her, wanting to talk to her more.

"You're Doctor Edwards, right?"

"Please, call me Callie." She smiled.

"I'm Scott, I'm the one who you've been talking to over the radio."

"It's nice to finally have a face to match the voice. Thank you for coming out, we wouldn't have been able to get out of there otherwise."

Scott smiled then. She was a beautiful woman, of that there was no doubt. Her honey blonde hair shone in the sun, a few tendrils escaping the sleek chignon that she had tied it back into. But it was her eyes that really captivated Scott. They were a pure forest green, unlike anything he had ever seen before.

"It's no problem. That's what we're here for. Will the passengers be alright?"

Callie frowned then, her rosebud lips pulled down at the corners. "I don't know. Angela should be fine, assuming that her leg was a clean break, but as for Andrew? I don't know. He has all the signs of a cerebral haemorrhage, so I'm not hopeful." Catching Scott's look of confusion, she laughed. It was a pleasant sound and made Scott want to hear it again.

"Bleeding in the brain. Happens in trauma cases from time to time. The brain gets knocked around, starts to bleed, increasing the pressure in the brain. It all gets squashed and it starts to malfunction."

Scott nodded. He understood now.

"Callie, we're about to pull the passengers out we need your help."

She turned towards Ian, the paramedic and nodded, before turning back to Scott.

"I'd better go, they need me. I'll see you around, Scott." She smiled and held out her hand.

Scott shook it and grinned. "Maybe you will. Goodbye Doctor Edwards. It was a pleasure to meet you."

He watched her jog towards the car and he realised he was still smiling.


	3. Debriefing

_A/N - I just wanted to say that I've read all the reviews and plan on making a lot of changes to the story, but I'm in the middle of exam season at the moment, and barely have time to update/redraft (luckily I wrote quite a few chapters before uploading any, so I can upload those in the meantime), so please bear with me. I really appreciate you calling me out on any mistakes I made (I hadn't even realised, I got too wrapped up in the medical side of the story and making sure that was 100% accurate!) and I promise they will be fixed just as soon as I can get to them. I'm not ignoring you, and thank you again for calling me out, I'd rather that than no-one tell me and the story be ruined!_

 _Bear with me for just a little while longer, I promise things will be fixed!_

Callie was standing in front of her department head's desk, fully aware that she was about be given the biggest dressing down she had ever had for being reckless.

"What possessed you to do it?" Mrs Nolan asked sharply. She was a sharp woman in general and although she was an excellent doctor, Callie didn't like her personality.

"They needed help. I couldn't just leave them down there until help arrived to rescue them. We didn't know what their injuries were. We needed information." Callie wasn't intimidated by the department head and kept eye contact with her to show that.

"And instead of waiting until it was safer you decided you were going to climb down the cliff face and do it yourself?"

Callie nodded. "What else could I do? I couldn't just leave them down there not knowing what was going on, scared and in pain. Control had forbidden the emergency services from assisting until they could ensure their safety. That rule doesn't apply to me. I know it was stupid and reckless and I put myself in a dangerous position, but I couldn't just leave them like that. They deserved some kind of help until we could rescue them properly."

Mrs Nolan huffed a sigh. "You'd better go get yourself cleaned up. I want you back in the department in no more than twenty minutes, understood?"

Callie nodded. "Yes Mrs Nolan."

"Off you go then."

Callie turned and exited the office, breathing a sigh of relief. She had expected to be disciplined at the very worst, but it looked as though Mrs Nolan accepted why she had done what she had, even if she didn't condone it.

She made her way to the staff room and took off her boots and coveralls, slipping on her high heels again. The coveralls needed to be washed, but she could put them in the laundry bins on her way through Accident and Emergency. Catching sight of herself in the mirror, she pulled a face. Tiny shards of glass glittered from their resting place in her hair, and make up, dirt and faint smudges of blood littered her face and neck from where she had unwittingly used her gloved hands to push back unruly strands of hair. Callie wasn't sure whether the cumulative effect was more comedic or frightening.

Aware that it needed to be remedied, she reached into her locker to retrieve a few toiletries. Many practitioners were prepared for such eventualities, often keeping spare clothes, a shower bag or even make up in their lockers. After all, it wasn't the most glamorous of jobs, and most of the ED staff had been thrown up or bled on at some point in their career.

Deciding that it could wait a few moments longer, Callie sank into the sofa in the corner of the room. No one would see her here and she needed time to reflect on her morning. For now, she needed a coffee and five minutes to catch her breath.

######

"Well boys, your second mission. How did it go?" Jeff Tracy asked, looking up from his desk at the two brothers that had just returned. He had received a brief report over the radio after the rescue, but he wanted to know more.

"Why don't you ask Scott, Dad? I heard he made a new friend today," Virgil grinned, looking over at his older brother.

Scott scowled at Virgil briefly, setting himself down on the sofa. "Ignore him. It was a pretty simple rescue. A lorry had overturned and jack knifed, throwing a car over the cliff's edge. They were stranded on a ledge but their rescue vehicles were tied up in a major incident a couple of hundred miles north, so we were called. Emergency services were on standby and had evacuated the other casualties, but there were two in the car on the ledge. They didn't have the equipment to get them out safely or the approval to make any risky attempts to rescue them. A doctor had been lowered over the edge to offer some information and support to the casualties. By all accounts she didn't give them much choice." At this, Scott couldn't help but smile. Callie Edwards was someone he now had a lot of admiration for.

"I liaised with the emergency services at the top of the cliff and Virgil came along and lifted them with the electromagnetic plates. There wasn't much use for us after that, so we got out of their way."

Jeff nodded, betraying the slightest hint of a smile. "Alright boys, go get yourselves cleaned up. Your grandmother is making dinner."

Scott did as he was told, slightly put out by the fact that he was unlikely to ever see the doctor he so admired again. Still, he told himself, that was the life they had chosen.


	4. A Familiar Face

"Red phone, six minutes. Red phone, six minutes. All available staff to Resus One."

Looking up from the patient notes she had been writing, Callie caught the eye of one of the nurses and smiled slightly.

"It feels like we never get a minute of peace," the nurse grinned.

Laughing, Callie nodded. "Charlie, you wouldn't change it for the world. What was the call?"

"Some sort of nautical disaster. They're bringing in a casualty that was involved in an underwater explosion. Sounds pretty nasty."

Callie raised an eyebrow. "Unusual. I'm about done finishing these notes, I might tag along. It sounds like a pretty unique case."

"I'll let Mrs Nolan know you're on your way. Don't be long, you might miss all the fun and I know you wouldn't want that," Charlie joked, pulling a pair of surgical gloves from the boxes attached to the wall and snapping them on.

Sighing, Callie finished off the notes, signing them with a flourish. In the few months since she had met Scott, she had found herself more than a little disappointed that she hadn't seen him again. She knew that she was unlikely to ever see him, but there was always the hope. There was something about the Thunderbird One pilot that attracted her, not, however, that she would ever admit it. She hadn't told anyone a thing about International Rescue, beyond that they had been involved. After all, she understood the importance of discretion. Still. It would be nice.

Making her way briskly to Resus, she pulled on some gloves, intrigued by the idea of an underwater explosion. They didn't see that many in the Emergency Department, after all. As she did so, an ambulance crew wheeled in a patient on a trolley bed and Callie stopped short. There were two men with the patient and one of them was none other than Scott Tracy. Mrs Nolan walked briskly towards the patient to hear the handover and get them settled in Resus.

"This is Gordon Tracy, 22, involved in a deep sea explosion approximately 90 minutes ago. Search and Rescue got him out and we took him from there. U on AVPU, GCS 8. LOC from the time of the accident until now. He's been in an accident like this previously, but has fully recovered. No known medical conditions or allergies and he doesn't take any medication. Suspected ankle fracture, concussion with possible brain injury. We collared and boarded him to rule out cervical injury and he has multiple superficial and a few deeper lacerations all over his body. Second degree burns on his extremities. He had no radial pulse on arrival, so we've administered a 250ml bolus of 0.9% sodium chloride, high flow oxygen and put in an oropharyngeal airway to maintain his airway, though we are aware that his airway is patent without it. These are his brothers, Scott and Virgil." The paramedic said, as they wheeled him along the corridor. He pulled out the patient report form and handed it to Calliope.

Mrs Nolan nodded. "All right, straight through to Resus One please. Dr Edwards, as soon as we arrive I want you to do the primary survey and arrange to have the bloodwork done. I'm going to phone radiology, get them to do a CAT scan and an x-ray on his ankle. I'd like you to consider a consult from ortho regarding his burns, should they need intervention."

"Yes Mrs Nolan." As they approached the double doors to Resus, Callie glanced at Scott. His features were inscrutable, but he shot her a look of concern. She nodded to show that she had understood. She wasn't going to break his trust.

As they entered through the double doors into Resus, Callie pointed to the bay in the corner of the room. "Airway is managed by the OP, but I want to stabilise it and possibly intubate in case of burns in the airway. Can you grab me an ET kit and a laryngoscope please Charlie?"

"Right you are Callie."

Callie watched as the paramedics moved Gordon over to the bed, taking her stethoscope and looking from head to foot, noting things as she went.

"Cap refill is a touch slow peripherally and pulse is a little weak, irregularly irregular, but present and measurable." Callie looked at her watch. "BPM of 98, which seems a little high, especially considering his age and fitness level."

Scott watched Callie, reminded as he did so of how confident and in control she was. He felt comfortable knowing that she would be involved in his younger brother's care. But how strange that he run into her. Of all the hospitals they could have brought him to, this one. Scott hadn't even known that Callie worked out of a hospital, much less this one. They lived thousands of miles apart, her in Britain and he in the United States, but it seemed that fate had brought them together again, though he wasn't quite sure why yet.

#############################################################################

Gordon had been stabilised and moved up to the ward, had even regained consciousness briefly. His leg had been put in plaster, his wounds dressed, scans completed. There was nothing to do now but to watch and wait. It was the worst part of being a doctor. To not be able to do anything more for a patient but to observe them and hope.

Callie was in the middle of writing up his notes for the file and when a shadow obscured her light and she looked up, frowning.

"Dr Edwards, can I speak to you for a moment?"

"Of course." Closing the book, she slipped her pen back into her pocket and straightened up, clearing her throat. True to her promise, she hadn't told a soul about the Tracy brothers' secret. In any case, it wasn't hers to tell.

"I wanted to thank you," Scott began, "For not telling anyone and for taking care of my brother. I've never seen someone so calm and collected the way you were."

Smiling, Callie shrugged. "It's just my job. I wouldn't do anything to break your trust, not after what you did for us. Besides, I've not really got anyone worth telling," she laughed.

"It's just my job," Scott echoed, grinning, his dark eyes flashing with humour.

Callie flushed and dropped her eyes to the floor, toying with her hands. "Why did International Rescue start?" She asked, keeping her voice low. "What made you decide to start it all, to rescue people?"

Scott shrugged a little, figuring that Callie was trustworthy enough to tell. She was a good woman, one of the best. This was the second time she could have told someone about their operation, and it was the second time she hadn't. He wasn't sure what it was about Callie Edwards, but there was something special there. Scott wanted to find out what it was. It was more than just the desire to help people, it was the dedication and commitment to making things better for all she knew.

"Let me take you to the canteen, we can grab a coffee and I'll tell you all about it. My treat."

Callie glanced at her fob watch and nodded. "I'm due for a break anyway. I suppose I could let you whisk me away from the paperwork for a while," she teased. "Follow me. It isn't far."

Scott did as he was told, talking note of his surroundings. Hospitals here were vastly different to those that he had known before. He didn't like the places, they made him feel uncomfortable on a deep level. He wasn't exactly sure why.

"Do you know roughly how long it will take for Gordon to recover? He's an important part of our operation. Having him out of action will hit us hard and being over here instead of back home will drive him crazy. Gordon hates being cooped up. He's a big swimmer."

Thinking for a minute, Callie shrugged. "I honestly don't know. Injuries like the ones your brother has can be very unpredictable. He could be up and about in days, or weeks, maybe even months. His leg will need to be in plaster for at least six weeks, but as he's young and usually fit and healthy, I'd imagine he'll be okay."

"Thank you for being honest with me. I'd rather someone tell the truth, even if it's not what I want to hear. Do you think we'd be able to fly him home in a few days, if he's well enough? Him being here is really hard for us all."

Entering the hustle and bustle of the canteen, Callie led them both to an empty table across the room, settling herself into a chair before she answered.

"If you had someone there to look after him, it's entirely possible. But I wouldn't recommend it. Too many things could go wrong."

A flash of disappointment crossed Scott's face, but he said nothing and nodded. "I understand. Can I get you a coffee? Something to eat?"

"Just a black coffee please, with sweetener."

Callie watched Scott make his way across the room, admiring his powerful stride. He really did have a commanding presence. There was something about him, something that captured her attention, spoke to her on a deeper level. Scott Tracy was an enigma, that was for sure, he and his brothers.

"I wasn't sure how many sweeteners you took, so I brought a few. I hope that's okay."

Looking up at Scott, Callie smiled and nodded. "Thank you. Aren't you having anything?"

Scott shook his head and eased his long legs into the chair opposite Callie. "So, you wanted to know why we started International Rescue?"

Pouring two sweeteners into her coffee, Callie took a hesitant sip and sighed with satisfaction. "It's lovely, thank you. You didn't have to go to the trouble."

"It's the least I could do after all you've done." Scott glanced around the tables, noting that they were largely empty on that side of the room. "Nobody outside of IR knows more than you do. No one knows we exist apart from those that are a part of it. But I know I can trust you not to tell anyone. I can tell."

Crossing his arms, Scott looked around once more, ensuring their privacy. "My father is Jeff Tracy, the astronaut. A few years back, he heard a story in the news of a plane crash, where eighty people died because there weren't adequate rescue operations ongoing. No one had the resources. My father had made a lot of money and needed something to do with it. He can't stand to do nothing. It took us two years to set it up, but we managed it in the end. We live on an island off the coast of the Pacific; my grandmother and my father, my four younger brothers, our engineer and our housekeeper and his daughter. We all play a part in the operation. There's also a British agent working for us here. Maybe you've heard of her. Lady Penelope Creighton-Ward."

It was a lot to take in. If she didn't know it were true, Callie would have laughed it off and asked someone from psych to come along and talk to Scott Tracy. As it was, she stared at him, eyes wide.

"I know it's a lot. It sounds crazy, but it's true."

"I believe you." Callie sipped at her coffee once more, more than a little overwhelmed. She had known Scott Tracy was enigmatic, but this really was something else.

"Is there anything else you want to know?"

Callie shook her head, groaning as she heard her beeper go off. Fishing it out of her pocket, she read the screen and leapt to her feet. "I'm sorry, I have to go. Duty calls. Will I see you again?"

Scott nodded. "I'm sure you will."

Draining her coffee, Callie pulled a pen out of her pocket and took Scott's hand, writing down her mobile number on it. "Call me if you need anything. It was good to see you again, but I wish the circumstances had been better."

Scott chuckled but said nothing, simply nodding. "I'll see you around, Doctor Edwards."

##########

Making his way to the side room where they were keeping his younger brother, Scott thought more about what Callie Edwards had said. Though she hadn't realised it, she had made a valid point about their resources on Tracy Island. They hadn't a doctor, and, given how well the Tracy boys managed to get into scrapes, perhaps it was time to look into getting one.

"How's he doing Virgil?" Scott greeted his brother as he entered the room.

"Hey Scott," Virgil yawned. "He woke up earlier, was awake for a few minutes. They said everything looks okay, so now we wait. Have you spoken to Dad yet?"

Scott shook his head, pulling out a chair and depositing himself into it, running a hand across his face. "Not yet. I wanted to talk to you about something first."

"What's up?" Virgil crossed his arms, frowning, his eyes widening slightly as he noticed the digits scribbled on his older brother's hand. "Are those what I think they are?"

"Huh? Oh, yeah. I was speaking to the doctor that was treating Gordon. She's the same one from our second job, remember? The one that went down the cliff face."

Virgil grinned mischievously. "I remember. So you two caught up, huh?"

Scott rolled his eyes. "It was mostly business. I asked her if we could possibly move Gordon home and she said that if there were someone there to look after him then we could maybe do it. But it got me thinking. Maybe we need a doctor on the island, someone to man the sick room."

"And you think she'd be the right person for the job?" Virgil teased. As much as he joked around, he understood what Scott was trying to say. Callie Edwards was a good doctor and she could be trusted. That stood for a lot, especially where International Rescue was concerned.

"I do. Look at what she's already done for us. I wanted to talk to Dad about it, but I wanted your opinion first."

Virgil looked at his brother for moment, before he answered. He usually trusted Scott's judgement, was quick to follow his lead. But was the doctor really a good idea or was it just that he was attracted to her? No, it was more than that. Scott was right, they needed someone like that in International Rescue. "I trust you. Like you said, she's kept the secret for months. Go talk to Father. I'm behind you and I'm sure Gordon will be too."

Scott nodded, pulling his communicator out of his pocket, turning it over in his hands. "Okay," he muttered, pulling himself to his feet and leaving the room silently, so that he didn't disturb Gordon. His father would give him a serious dressing down if that happened.

"Thunderbird One calling Tracy Island," he murmured, after looking around to check that the corridor was empty.

"Hullo Scott. How's Gordon?" His father answered, his hologram appearing from the screen of the communicator.

"He's doing well. He just needs rest. They said if we had someone to look after him, we could bring him back to the island."

Jeff Tracy was silent for a moment. "You know we don't have anyone to do that, anyone with the knowledge."

"I know Father," Scott began. "The doctor that treated him, she's the same doctor that we met on a job before, remember?"

"The one from the cliff face?"

"Mm, that's her. She kept our secret before, she's done it again. I was thinking maybe we could use someone like her on the island, someone to patch us up after missions."

"And look after your brother while he recovers?"

Scott nodded.

"What's her name?"

"Callie, Callie Edwards."

"I'll look into it. Thank you for bringing it to my attention. I'll contact you in due course."


	5. Scrabble and Home Baking

Scott was tired. Beyond tired. He had been spending all his days and nights at the hospital in the week since the accident over a week ago, and it was wearing him out. The constant thrum of machinery, sleeping in a straight backed armchair, being woken at all hours by the nurses checking on his brother. The only bright spot in an otherwise dark place was the company of Dr Callie Edwards. She had checked on them all more than a few times, always popping in with either coffee or home comforts whenever she was on shift. He wasn't ashamed to admit that those visits made his days. Virgil and Gordon's, too. They all liked the young doctor, especially when she brought in sweet treats for them. Yesterday, it had been home-made raspberry and white chocolate muffins. Gordon had raved about them for hours, making he and Virgil laugh until their ribs hurt. He had demanded that Scott hunt down the recipe so that Grandma Tracy could replicate them. Scott had promised to, as well as pick them all up a few things from Tracy Island. Now he had a day or two to catch up on some much needed rest, as well as talk to his father more about the doctor.

"Hullo Scott. How's your brother?" His father asked, looking up from the pile of papers on his desk.

"Morning father," he yawned, setting his bag down on the sofa. "He's fine. He and Virgil were playing Scrabble when I left. Callie brought it in for us."

"Callie?" Jeff Tracy frowned, capping his pen.

"Dr Edwards," Scott explained. "You said you would look into her, remember?"

Jeff huffed a laugh. "I looked into her."

Settling himself onto the sofa, Scott stifled another yawn. God, he needed sleep. "What did you find?"

Shuffling the papers, Jeff pulled out the sheaf of printed paper that he needed. "25 years old, graduated with honours. Studied at the hospital she now works for. Impeccable record and exam results, liked by all. No living relatives or commitments. Her last living relative was her father, died when she was 21. Originally from Scotland, moved to England to attend medical school at 17. Known women's rights activist, she campaigned for the hospital to have their own women's services."

Scott raised an eyebrow. He hadn't known that.

"She sounds like quite the girl."

Scott nodded. "I wish you could meet her. You'd love her. Gordon and Virgil like her too. Gordon is obsessed with her baking. She brings in home-made pastries for everyone whenever she's on shift."

Jeff sighed for a second, tilting his head. His eldest son seemed quite taken by this girl, and he had to admit that she sounded like someone who would fit in with International Rescue. "Penny is going to visit later this week when she returns from her cruise with the Earl of Winchester. I want her to meet your doctor friend. If Penny likes her, we can think about my meeting her or her coming here to meet everyone. In the meantime, get yourself some rest. When you go back, Virgil will come to rest up for a few days."

Trying to hide his broad grin, Scott played with the zipper of his holdall. "Is Grandma home? I brought a recipe back with me and Gordon asked me to beg her to try it out."

Laughing, Jeff nodded. "She's with Tin Tin and Alan by the pool. Alan wanted to get some sun before he and John swapped shifts on Thunderbird Five."

#####

"Good morning Dr Edwards."

Callie grinned. She would recognise that voice anywhere. "Don't you have a home to go to, Mr Tracy?" She teased.

"I suppose, but then how would I see you?" Scott handed her the coffee he had brought her.

"And where would I be without you kindly delivering my caffeine fix?"

Scott chuckled. "When do you finish?"

Pulling a face, Called sipped her coffee. "Seven tonight. With any luck!"

"There's a friend who will be coming in to see Gordon this evening. She would really like to meet you."

"Oh?" Callie raised an eyebrow. "Do I get to know who this friend is?"

"She's a family friend. Penny wants to thank you for all that you've done, and continue to do. Not just for Gordon, but for being discreet."

Blushing slightly, Callie took a mouthful of coffee, trying to distract Scott from her flushed face.

"It's my job to be discreet, you're not special or anything," she teased playfully.

Scott laughed, and it made Callie realise that actually, he _was_ special. But the rare moment was cut short as the red phone rang, indicating a trauma call.

"Damnit," she whispered.

"I'd better get out of your way and let you work your magic. I'll see you this evening?"

Callie nodded and thanked Scott again for the coffee, before picking up the phone.

"Blue call from Delta 2606. One patient, male, RTC. Pedestrian versus car. Signs of a basal skull fracture with neurological impairment. Sats 100% on high flow oxygen, blood glucose 6.2, temperature 37 degrees Celsius. P on AVPU, GCS 10; 3,3 and 4. Heart rate 94, though it's been consistently tachycardic throughout our involvement. ETA 8 minutes."

Callie jotted down the notes she had been given, before thanking the operator and hanging up.

"Alright ladies and gents, we have a trauma call. ETA 8 minutes." Callie called out, chuckling slightly when she saw everyone leap away from the minor ailments they had been treating, a fresh light in their eyes.

"Charlie, can you alert Mrs Nolan and prepare Resus One for me please? I need three nurses and a registrar please."

As Callie prepared the staff, she seemed to transform. She was calm, cool, and in control. Gone were the quiet manners. Scott made a mental note never to get on the wrong side of her. He watched from the sidelines, where she couldn't see him, a quiet grin playing across his features. No, she would be perfect for International Rescue.


End file.
